


Meet You in Alabasta

by DrizzlyMango



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Family Reunions, Flashbacks, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Not Canon Compliant, Pain, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reunions, Temporary Amnesia, Temporary Character Death, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:47:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26466688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrizzlyMango/pseuds/DrizzlyMango
Summary: What if Sabo had been sent with some of the revolutionaries to aid Alabasta's rebel movement when Ace and Luffy happened to be crossing paths?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 179
Collections: Real Good Shit





	Meet You in Alabasta

**Author's Note:**

> mentions of panic attacks and PTSD flashbacks. Please be warned that they are spaced out throughout the pic. If they trigger you please feel free to skip over them.  
> (Skip from "Sabo couldn't breathe" to "vision turned black")
> 
> It was so tempting to make this multiple chapters because when I originally sat down to write it I wanted nothing more than to share it with everyone. But I hope you all enjoy

Sabo glared at the den-den mushi like it had personally wronged him. It wasn’t the messenger's fault. He tried to tune out Koala’s incessant chattering in the background. Their past history together and their friendship usually got them partnered together on a majority of their missions. They worked well together and balanced each other out. They’d just come off a mission and because they were in the area, orders were that they would be aiding a rebel movement taking place in Alabasta. His official briefing wouldn’t occur until they were able to rendezvous with the other revolutionaries on their way to the desert kingdom. 

He felt his face pull into a frown. 

They’d just come off a grueling mission, fixing yet _another_ government mishap. They’d taken heavy casualties and any able bodied revolutionaries were requested as back up. If they didn’t rest chances are they’d just slow the rebels down. 

But that's the thing. While Sabo absolutely adores dealing a crippling blow to unjust systems, he knew his men weren’t ready to go to battle again. They needed to recover. There's a heavy mental burden that accompanies being a revolutionary. The ability to continue and raise the spirits of those around you when the odds aren’t in your favor. If they weren't invested in the mission their ability to do that lags and can do more harm than good.

“Oi,” he called, voice heavy with exhaustion and bone-deep regret. “We just got new orders. Plans have changed, it looks like we won’t be sailing back to Baltigo.”

He could hear the murmurs starting. He sucked in a deep breath, wincing at the stitch in his side. 

“We’ve been called in to aid another unit, we’re helping them with the unrest in Alabasta. There’s a rebel movement, and they’re planning to make a move soon. Orders are that every able-bodied person is to continue on to the Desert Kingdom. Those with injuries deemed unfit, will be making their way back to HQ after we rendezvous.” 

He cringed, hating the words as much as the rest of them. 

“I know we all just came off of an awful mission, that the sources had withheld vital information which caused major casualties for us, but I want you all to think about what made you want to be a revolutionary in the first place. I want you to look to that inner flame, that drive, that ambition, whatever it may be, and I want you to let that guide you through the next leg of our journey. We have about twenty four hours before we reach the other unit, so I want you all to celebrate, to relax, and to prepare for what lies ahead.”

The crowd cheered, as he stalked his way towards the stairs to give their new coordinates to their navigator. 

His burns itched, his eye twitching involuntarily. There was a storm on the horizon. Something very big was going to happen, something pivotal if the anxiety settling in his gut was anything to go by. 

* * *

“Sabo-kun,” Koala whined, face barely visible through their desert island wardrobe. 

He was making a face. He couldn’t help it. They’d been on the ground less than ten minutes and sand had already found its way into impossible places. 

She whined again, fanning herself with her hand, hair sticking to her face stuck in a river of sweat.

He grit his teeth looking for the words when he felt a crunch. He ground his teeth together again trying to ignore the grit of sand on his teeth, his tongue-

“I hate this,” He huffed, putting his already "too-light-for-comfort" canteen away. 

“Tell me about it. I understand that they need all the help they can get but why couldn’t it have been a nice, spring island. One with blooming trees and bright colors, and-”

“No, an autumn island,” Sabo let himself relax into his imagination. “That way pollen doesn't suck your soul out of your body. It’s not too hot or too cold, and it's crisp. Plus they have some of the best food there.” 

Koala laughed, of course food played a part in his decision. 

“I don’t know Sabo-kun, spring food is pretty good too, fresh and sweet.” 

“Okay, but I raise you apple cider and baked apple donuts covered in cinnamon sugar,” he grinned. 

“Great now I’m hungry.” 

“Want to try to find somewhere to eat I know that since we’ve wandered to the market place there has to be something-”

Koala felt her eyes fly wide. She rubbed at them instantly regretting the grains of sand that she had to rapidly blink away but it couldn’t be. 

She heard Sabo grunt, the blond’s hand coming up to cover his scar. 

That tattoo. 

She’d know that tattoo anywhere. 

Whitebeard's mark. 

She strained to hear what the man was asking the vendor. 

_Blackbeard. Strawhat Luffy._

It all sounds troublesome. 

A flurry of motion caught her attention, another group of individuals eyed the Whitebeard’s crew member with a similar critical eye. 

To her left Sabo was fidgeting. It wasn’t the normal, “I don’t like being in one place for too long” fidget, it was the “something's wrong and if I don’t leave in the next few seconds I’m gonna have a major meltdown”, kind of fidget. 

She yanked him off to the side, down one of the alleyways, away from prying eyes. Koala flipped his hood down, scanning his face. 

His breathing was fast, if not almost a wheeze, toeing the line of hyperventilating. His hand still covered his eye, his palm was pressing down hard enough it was turning white from pressure, his fingers pulling at the roots of his hair. 

This was bad. 

“Sabo,” She tried, clumsily shifting through every time this had happened. It used to be frequent when they were younger. The doctors had said it was likely a side effect of the amnesia. Certain situations seemed to aggravate it further. But it seemed like he’d mastered these fits. Koala couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him suffer one. She knew if he continued on he’d probably knock himself unconscious. 

“Sabo-kun, I know where there’s a restaurant, we can go-”

“His tattoo, that letter,” he panted, his other eye wide. 

He was shaking. 

Koala opened her mouth. To say what she didn’t know but she had to say something, anything. 

“The ‘S’ I’ve seen that before I know that-” 

Koala, stumbled to catch him. For working his way up the ranks and being one of their division leaders he could be remarkably stubborn. Did she pressure point him to knock him out, possibly. Will he forgive her for it later, meh. 

She’d overheard the higher ups commenting on how much progress he’s made, about how he was due for some sort of promotion. He knew that their old Chief of Staff was getting ready to retire, and considering Dragon had taken Sabo under his wing it seemed likely that he’d end up there. She had a feeling everyone but Sabo was able to connect those dots. 

He was brilliant. 

He was smart, incredibly talented, and no one tried harder than he did, but his self awareness was lacking. 

He blinked up at her, eyes squinting against the harsh contrast of the desert sun and the shade. 

“Why do you hate me?” he grumbled, righting himself, rubbing at the scar on his eye. He knew that since they’d been given the report to aid Alabasta he’d had a couple of those fits. He had been free of them for a couple of years but to have them pop up, here and now of all places, Sabo shook his head, sand spraying from his hair. 

“What are you a dog,” Koala squealed, trying to defend herself against the spray of sand. 

“You mentioned a restaurant?”

“Just like a dog, begging for food” She scoffed, getting to her feet. 

Sabo squawked, scrambling to his feet grumbling in indignation. 

* * *

Sabo hissed at Koala from their spot in the restaurant. It had been peaceful enough, with the locals mulling about. At first at least. 

They’d taken their outer layers off, the sun not as unbearably hot and scalding within the restaurant. 

He’d donned a pair of glasses to try to mask the scar on his face. He supposed it wasn’t as bad as trying to hide a slave brand or a massive tattoo like the pirate from earlier who decided wandering a desert kingdom shirtless was a good idea. 

He must have been raised by bandits, and have atrocious manners. 

“I know that face,” Koala cooed, stirring her drink, the clink of the ice cubes on the glass distracting. 

“Yeah, I’m thinking what kind of idiot goes walking around a desert with no shirt on. I mean seriously-”

A hand slammed against their table, the dark haired stranger from earlier grinning at them. All edge to the smile, nothing kind about it. 

Sabo didn’t jump, nope. 

“You have a problem with the way I dress, _friend_ ,” The man drawled, something about him was- 

Sabo’s eye twitched at the tone. _Those were fighting words_.

“Sabo-kun,” Koala hissed, kicking him in the shin under the table. 

“I’m sorry. Did I hear you correctly? Did you just say Sabo-kun,” The pirate was glancing furiously between the two. Something close to astonishment, and borderline desperation. 

Sabo went to decline, because he really didn’t need people learning who he was, and that he was with the revolutionary army. That would just jeopardize the mission. 

“Depends on who’s asking,” 

“Portgas D. Ace, commander of the 2nd division of Whitebeard Pirates.” 

Koala loosed a low, impressed whistle. 

He held his hand out, for them to shake. 

“I’m Koala, and the brooding one is Sabo, we’re Revolutionaries.” 

Sabo glared at her. 

“Revolutionaries.” Ace pondered a moment before backtracking. “But your name is Sabo.” 

His eye twitched, the scars were doing that stabbing pain thing again. 

“Yes,” he grit out. 

“I’ve been to a lot of places. I’ve met a lot of people and I’ve only ever met one Sabo-”

“If this is you attempting to flirt it’s not working-”

Ace floundered, “No, no, I’m not trying to come on to you, it’s just I had a brother named Sabo,”

“Had?” Sabo asked before metally kicking himself. His eye was burning again, interrupted every few seconds by the sharp stabbing pains. 

“When we were younger, he set out to sea before my younger brother and I,” Ace began, voice thick with nostalgia. 

“We were inseparable. But well I don’t really want to think about that,” the pirate said, flames licking at his fingertips. 

“What happened?”

Ace just stared flatly at Koala before pulling a chair over to their table. They were definitely calling attention to themselves. 

“Well,” Ace began, picking at their food and regalling Koala with detail after detail about his childhood and brothers. 

Sabo couldn’t hear the words, well he could but none of them were registering over the thumping beat of his heart reverberating throughout his head. Like each pulse sent a wave of excruciating pain through his body, the pain focusing on those old wounds. 

Dragon had told him very little about his past when he was younger. He knew it was advised by their medical staff. The brain is a fragile thing, it’s actively trying to protect you from pain and trauma, and whatever the cause of his pain, his body didn’t want to remember. 

When Sabo was fifteen he remembers asking Dragon about his past, the pent up frustration from not knowing anything about himself coming to a head. 

Dragon had sat him down in his office and told him very little. It was enough to quell the curiosity at the time. It was enough to stave off further questions. 

He’d learned he’d been from Goa Kingdom, in the East Blue. The very place Dragon spent some of his youth. Apparently Sabo had a run in with the revolutionary leader in the midst of a great fire, one that had sent his scars crawling, his mind reeling. Dragon mentioned that there was an accident on the water that he rescued him from, that's where the scars came from as well as the most likely cause of his amnesia. 

Dragon conceded that some people who suffer from amnesia don’t suffer physical injuries. Sabo’s time as a revolutionary had taught him enough about psychological injuries to understand. 

Ace was speaking of that brother who was from within the walls of Goa Kingdom, a place where the nobility was a festering plague. Where parents had children for the sole purpose of maintaining their wealth. Sabo felt like he could understand that. Even without his memories he could remember the gut wrenching dread that the mention of returning him to his parents had brought about. Maybe it was a Goa Kingdom thing. 

Ace continued on about how he and his brothers all had different parents but that didn’t diminish their brotherly bond. Ace fumbled around his bag for something pulling out a piece of paper. 

The parchment was beginning to age, yellowing a bit. The paper itself looked soft and worn, the creasing indicating that it had been read and folded many times over. Small stains littered the page, it looked like water marks, enough to make the ink bleed through in places but it was-

Sabo couldn’t breathe. 

It felt like someone had laid a boulder upon his chest. The crushing feeling and the inability to draw air in. The numbness and tingling starting in his fingertips. That disorienting sensation of his vision tunneling into nothingness. 

He could feel the tears beginning to race down his face. He could feel them but it didn’t matter because something had his heart in a vice grip. 

The din of chaos sounded muddled in his ears, as he fought the rising panic. 

Koala’s face blurred in front of him, she was saying something but he couldn’t hear it, not over the rustling of the trees and the sound of children laughing. 

He made some sort of garbled wailing sound before his vision turned black. 

* * *

Ace shouted in alarm as Koala dove across the table to prevent Sabo from breaking his nose on the table. He did that once, years ago, just slammed his face into the table in frustration and broke his nose. 

She barely managed to brace his fall but he ended up face down in his lunch. Koala sighed, watching him with a critical eye. People in the restaurant were watching them and murmuring, beginning to crowd around their table. So much for laying low. The crowd seemed to note how out of place they looked and began suggesting potential reasons for the blonde man to have died in the middle of eating. 

Ace looked on helplessly, Sabo made some sort of high pitched whining sound before the shaking stopped. 

“Well, that cures that suspicion.” She said sadly, glancing between the men. 

Ace tilted his head in question. 

“I don’t mean to sound boorish, but I think that this Sabo in front of us is the very one who disappeared when you were children.”

“No, he…” Ace started, eyes wide, as he stared at the blonde. “He can’t be, Dogra was there, he said he saw them hit Sabo’s ship, they saw him die. People don’t just suddenly get better from being dead.” Disbelief shaping his words. 

“I think he had been dissociating since you took out that letter your brother wrote. He also mentioned earlier that he’d seen the crossed out letter ‘S’ before. From your stories and the little we know about his past I think he might be your brother.”

“But the Celestial Dragons…” Ace began attention still glued on Sabo. 

“Sabo was rescued by our leader in the East Blue. They had mentioned that he had been shot at. So I’m thinking that you might be the key to unlocking his memories.”

“His memories?”

“Yes, Sabo has amnesia, he doesn’t know a thing about who he was or where he came from prior to being rescued. All he knew was that he didn’t want to go home to his parents,” Koala said softly. She really hoped that he was able to learn his past, that he was able to have a family again. But a noble who's fighting in the revolutionary army. It sounded like a bad joke. For the nobles of course. 

The murmuring began again. The crowd parting ever so slightly as a new form approached gathering their attention. 

Sabo made some sort of groggy sound, blinking into his food, rice sticking to his face and hair. 

He slowly pushed himself off the table, the crowd gasping for some reason. 

A loud cheer of “He’s alive!” echoed outside, the sound of footsteps receding reached his ears. 

His head was killing him, and he was still trying to process everything. Ace and Koala were both in front of him in an instant. 

“Sabo-kun!” Koala shouted, wincing when he groaned, clutching his head. 

“Are you?” Ace started before his gaze shifted to the door.

"Do you remember anything?” Koala asked hopefully. 

He shut his eyes listening as the stranger addressed Ace, his memories flitting about his head. 

"I will become a pirate, defeat everyone in my way, and become known across the world. I’ll become a great pirate and stand above everyone else." Ace declared looking out at the open ocean. 

"I'll be King of the Pirates!" Luffy cheered, giddy with laughter.

"When you exchange sake cups, you become brothers. With this starting today, we’re brothers." 

The clinking of those red sake cups branded itself into his brain. 

_How could he have forgotten something as important as his brothers._

“I’m surprised you’re bold enough to eat in public places,” The deep voice drawled. “Second Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Portgas D. Ace.” 

The restaurant owner who’d been hovering by their table balked. “Wh-Whitebeard Pirates! The Whitebeard Pirates?”

“What's a famous big-shot pirate doing in this country?”

Ace grinned, “I’m searching for my little brother,” He said, while staring at Sabo who was watching the Pirate with interest. 

“You-” Sabo shouted.

Ace blinked. 

“Me?” Ace noted Sabo had caught the officer’s eye.

“The Revolutionary Sabo,” Smoker said in disbelief.

Sabo ignored the man. 

“You!” He tried again, eyes wide and waving his finger at the Pirate, his brother. 

Ace seemed to be on the same page because he flew across the restaurant and sucker punched Sabo.

“What the hell was that for you jerk.” 

“Just trying to see if you remember,” He stated, both completely ignoring the rapid twitching Smokers eye seemed to be doing. The marine made his way to the bar resting against the surface of it watching as the revolutionary and the pirate had it out. 

There was a lot of yelling, cursing, scratching, some biting, they even resorted to hair pulling. 

“Is that how you treat your older brother?” Ace snarled, though he was laughing. The undiluted joy gave Smoker pause. 

“You wish, I’m the older brother,” Sabo laughed.

“Brothers?” Smoker asked, _was this some kind of joke?_

Like the word was a summoning spell, a figure crashed through the wall and straight into Smoker all while screaming, “FOOD!”

Smoker goes flying through the bar and back of the restaurant while luffy proceeds to pick up some abandoned cutlery on the counter, likely from when the locals all came to crowd around Sabo when he passed out, and slam them onto the counter chanting he wanted food. 

The poor bar keep just eyed him warily and recommended he go before the marine got back. 

Luffy, oblivious as ever, just laughed and commented on the strange decor. His attention briefly flicked over the brawling brothers on the floor. 

Luffy laughed louder, “What an interesting group of performs you got here. You hire the comedians?” He began inhaling the food the owner had given him, ignoring anything the man was saying.

The voice seemed to snap Ace out of the fight as he looked up towards Luffy, just starting to call out his name when Sabo back handed him. Ace’s face snaps to the side as they freeze. 

“Did you just slap me?’

“So what if I did?” Sabo challenges. He feels lighter than he has in days, hell years. 

The pair continue to tumble around kicking, punching, snarling worse than alley cats but it doesn’t matter because they’ve found each other. 

Smoker chooses then to stalk back into the restaurant. 

He glares at Luffy, the straw hat-wearing captain just continued shoveling food into his mouth, though he did appear to be breaking into a cold sweat. 

Luffy spit the food at Smoker, voice pitched as he yelled, “You’re that smoke! What are you doing here?”

Smoker swore, hand inching towards his weapon. 

“Hold it!” Luffy declared, before shoveling all the remaining food into his mouth. He took off in a mad dash away from the Marine, the man chasing him at a frightening pace. 

The cacophony of chaos rose in the streets as Ace and Sabo finally broke apart. 

“That idiot,” Ace muttered fondly, making to follow after him. 

“Need back up?” Sabo ased, standing and brushing the dust off of himself. 

“I don’t know mister Revolutionary, can you spare a moment?” 

Sabo’s eye twitched. But he sucked in a deep breath before turning to Koala. 

“I’m sure you have questions but-”

“Go save your brother, I’ll cover for you,” She mockingly saluted him. He rolled his eyes, reaching for his metal staff, but turned back to Ace.

“Lead the way, brother mine,” Sabo teased Ace. The pair barreling after Luffy and Smoker. 

* * *

Luffy had met up with his crew, all of them shouting as they headed back towards the Going Merry. The marines being here were just bad luck. He just needed to kick Crocodile’s butt for Vivi. The fact the Smoker had followed them from Loguetown didn’t sit well with him. 

A sudden blazing inferno stopped them in their tracks. 

Ace. 

He ate devil fruit and he was taking on Smoker for them. 

Luffy laughed, he never thought he’d run into Ace, especially here of all places. But there was another person next to Ace. Someone with goggles slung around their neck, and wavy blonde hair. 

“You haven’t changed a bit, Luffy,” Ace stated. 

“Ace? Is that you Ace? You ate a devil fruit?”

“Yep the mera-mera no mi” 

Luffy just continued to stare. 

“Anyway we can’t talk like this. I’ll catch up. You guys run. I’ll hold these guys off.”

Luffy grinned, “Let’s go,”

“Oh, and Luffy,” Ace called, flicking his attention towards the blonde man, “I have a surprise for you,” 

Luffy cheered. 

“I’m a what now?” the guy complained, though it looked like he was spoiling for a fight.

Luffy took off in a sprint, his crew filing in after him. 

“But Luffy,” Vivi yelled. 

“Who was that?” Sanji finished for her. 

“Wait Luffy! Who is that?” Nami tried again. 

“Is he an acquaintance of yours?” Vivi asked.

“Yeah,” Luffy said, happiness leaking into his voice. 

“He’s my brother,” Luffy cheered, completely missing the utter shock his crew was in. 

* * *

Ace and Smoker seemed to be in a standstill, Sabo’s own training allowing him to take in the bigger picture, letting himself listen in on their conversation but allowing his attention to narrow to all the marines trying to corral them. 

“You can’t blame a big brother for looking after his bumbling younger brother.” 

Smoker scoffed, but shifted his focus to Sabo. 

“I’m not here for you,” 

“Mn, maybe not, but the way I see it you’re at a disadvantage here.”

Ace’s brows rose. 

“Smoker, was it?” Sabo stated, stalking forward. “You got us 68% surrounded but we still have the means of getting to the ocean. Ace here, despite being a pirate is also a devil fruit user like yourself. Both of you are Logia types, and he’s fire, you’re smoke. That battle would be futile and just waste time.” 

Ace watched Sabo as he made his way closer and closer to the marine. No one else daring to move.

“Now, if I were you, I’d be asking myself, what would the Straw Hats, One of Whitebeard’s Commanders, and a Revolutionary being doing on this island. Because, the way I see it, you’re about to have your hands full of a whole new type of mess.” as Sabo said that last word he brought his pipe down on the Marine. The man grunted and stumbled. 

Sabo grinned, grinding the end of the pipe, the ones reinforced by sea prism stone, into the space between the Marines shoulder blades. Everyone was holding their breath. 

He prayed Ace would recognize the look in his eyes. 

Ace gave a subtle nod, stance shifting getting ready. 

“You obviously know who I am, and who my brothers are and what we’re capable of, but I suggest, Smoker, that you investigate the country itself because there's a storm coming and you’re about to be caught in the middle of it.” 

Ace unleashed a wall of flame, making an opening for Sabo to dash through. Sabo took off heading the way Luffy and his crew had gone, trusting that Ace would be right behind him. He could tell that Smoker had lashed out, the two logia users locked in a heated battle. 

_Of course_. 

Sabo sighed.

Of course, Ace still can’t walk away from a fight. 

Granted Sabo could understand Ace would never let anything happen to his family, they are his treasure, so if he’s all that stands between harm and his family he won’t back down. 

“Don’t lose,” Sabo panted as he strained for any sign of the crew. 

“I never lose,” Ace said, dropping into stride beside him. 

“Not yet, maybe, but you get cocky.” 

Ace was about to say something but Sabo cut him off. 

“Seriously?”

“What?” 

That split there, Luffy went one way but the crew went the other.”

“What a troublesome little brother.”

  
  
Sabo laughed. _Indeed_.

“You go to the crew and I take Luffy? I’ll prepare him for meeting you.” Ace suggested.

“Meeting me?”

“Neither of us took it well,” Ace said softly. 

Sabo looked down, guilty? Ashamed? 

“It’ll be alright you go make sure his crew get off the island and away from the marines, see you later.” 

“Right,” Sabo reached out and grasped Ace’s hand. 

“Be safe,” 

“You too, we can’t lose you again.” 

Sabo swallowed around the lump in his throat as he took off after Luffy’s crew. He watched as Ace scaled one of the nearby buildings to search for Luffy. 

* * *

The crew were all set to go, everyone was at their posts, frozen because what else could they do. 

Sabo chuckled softly to himself before hauling himself on board. 

“Ask your questions later but you need to set sail,” He ordered, watching as the crew stared at him in shock. He knocked Zoro’s sword to the side, noting t took a lot more effort than he'd let on, as he addressed the crew. 

“I’ll answer your questions in a moment but trust me, they sent some of the navy to the ships, they’re going to try to barricade you all in the port if you don’t leave now. The flame guy from earlier is collecting our troublesome little brother as we speak.”

“ _Wait little brother?_ ” they shrieked. 

Sabo grinned.

* * *

  
  


“Sheesh, letting you escape was pretty much pointless,” Ace drawled before dropping down next to Luffy. 

“Ace,” Luffy cheered. 

“It’s been a while, Luffy,”

The pair grasped hands, using the barrel as support as they challenged each other's strength.

The barrel quivered before shattering beneath them, soaking them with water.

“I’m here on minor business, I’m part of the Whitebeard Pirates,” Ace turned to point to the mark on his back. One of his prides and joys.

“Luffy wanna join the Whitebeard Pirates?”

“No,” He laughed.

“I figured, but it was worth a shot, I want to make him King of the Pirates.” 

“I’m gonna be King of the Pirates,” Luffy said adamantly. “I’ll just have to fight him.” 

Ace grinned, but flailed trying to wrestle his canteen back from Luffy. 

“Don’t drink it all!”

Stashing the canteen away, Ace and Luffy began walking towards the water. 

“Hey Luffy, you know how I said, I had a surprise for you?”

“Is it food?”

“Please try not to eat the surprise. I don’t think they’d like that very much.”

Luffy whined. 

“I was honestly surprised. I ran into them only a short time before you.”

“Really?”

“Luffy,” Ace came to a stop, catching Luffy's arm. 

His younger brother just stared, not fully paying attention. 

“Dogra made a mistake. He never died.” 

Luffy whipped his head to Ace. 

“He did!”

“No, Luffy I’m telling you I wouldn’t have believed it myself if it weren’t for-”

“Liar!” Luffy yelled, tears welling in his eyes. 

“Why would I lie to you about this?”

“So that guy that was with you when you stopped that Smoke?”

“Yes,” Ace laughed, tension leaving his frame. 

“If it makes you feel any better we got into a bit of a brawl.”

“Who was stronger?” Luffy sniffled. 

“Oh, definitely me,” Ace grinned. 

“Now I know you’re lying.”

The individuals who’d been trying and failing to attack them finally gave up as Luffy rushed to the edge of the sea wall. Out in the distance he could see his ship, sailing along. 

He hopped down the steps waving his arms to get their attention, tuning Ace out. 

He stretched his arm towards the ship laughing giddily when he felt it connect with the railing. 

He launched himself forward heading towards the ship. 

* * *

Sabo had just finished explaining the situation much to the crew's apparent shock when a rubbery limb connected with the side of the ship. Muscle memory seemed to have kicked in and he shoved the ship's cook and doctor out of the way, while bracing his feet and snatching the flying captain out of the air. 

He heard the sniper cheer, and the others murmuring. 

“What did we say about doing that over water, you can’t swim. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is,” Sabo chided righting Luffy before placing him on his feet. 

Luffy blinked at him, expression morphing to shock, to anger. 

Ace seemed to know when to bail Sabo out of a tough situation, though. He’d managed to get himself to the boat and perch himself on the railing, drawing the attention to himself. 

“Yo,” Ace introduced himself and thanked the crew similarly to how Sabo had.

Ace glanced between Luffy and Sabo. 

Sabo squinted at Ace’s arm.

“Did you seriously spell your own name wrong for me?”

Ace’s face turned bright pink. Luffy looked between them.

Sabo laughed, loud and uninhibited. 

“You look like when Makino was fitting us for new clothes, it’s even the same expression,” 

Luffy gaped at Sabo as Ace roared at Sabo to shut up. 

Sabo wiped a tear from his eye before looking at Luffy, “You know what I don’t think I’m ready for this,” 

He walked towards the railing where Ace was, propping himself up, and swinging a leg over the edge. 

“What do you think you’re doing,”

“Saving my precious psyche from any further damage, plus my head is still killing me.”

“Oh no you don’t,” 

Ace hauled Sabo back over the railing by the collar of his shirt.

“Nope, you disappeared once, you’re not doing it again,” Ace spun Sabo around to face Luffy, shoving him a step towards their brother.

His lip quivered as the crew watched the exchange. 

Luffy’s expression was priceless once he started to connect the dots. It had been seven years since he’d seen Sabo. Luffy was all bulging eyes and mouth gaping around a scream. He back peddled right into the opposite railing, yelling “Sabo,” 

“I don’t believe you!” He yelled. 

Sabo sighed. 

“We stole a bottle of Sake from Dadan and made a toast.”

Tears were on a free flow, as Luffy sobbed his brother’s name, winding his arms around him and rocketing into his side.

Sabo grunted, but held Luffy tight. 

Ace grinned, lighting Sanji’s cigarette for him as they watched the scene unfold.

“So you’re a revolutionary?” Zoro asked, glancing between the brothers. 

“Yep, I'm actually here on a mission, so I’m afraid I can’t afford to travel with you all for too long.”

“A mission?” Vivi asked. 

Sabo nodded, “We’re supporting a local movement. We happened to be in the area and were sent here.” 

“What local movement,” Vivi’s grip on the railing was white. 

Sabo sized up the scene. How much would it help or hurt to explain.  He trusted Luffy, granted not even a few hours ago he didn’t know he had a family, but with his memories coming back at an alarming rate, he knew enough that Luffy can’t lie, and that he trusts his brother. Even remembering that very first meeting and Luffy not telling Blue Jam about Ace and Sabo’s treasure. 

“We were asked by a local rebel movement, under the leadership of someone named Koza, for aid. We’re supposed to be meeting up with them,” Sabo tried to leave it vague. 

Vivi drops to her knees, tears streaming down her face. 

“Unfortunately I can’t stay terribly long either, I’m after a man by the name of Blackbeard. He committed one of the worst crimes you can on a pirate ship then fled.”

The crew looked at the brothers. 

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy our time together.” Sabo grinned, ruffling Luffy’s hair.

Luffy smiled, it was almost blinding, his laugh contagious. 

* * *

“I’m sorry he what?” Nami laughed, near choking on her drink.

“We had to rescue him from everything.” Ace laughed. 

“Oi, I’m stronger now,”

“Sure ya are sport,” 

“Sabo, Ace is being mean,” 

“Ace, don’t rile him up, he’ll eat your food if you keep it up,” 

Ace hugged his plate closer to himself glaring at Luffy. 

“Sabo was always the nicer brother,” 

The blonde grinned. 

“You take that back you little-”

“Did you ever tell your crew about defeating the tiger?” Sabo asked, trying to prevent another brawl.

“Oh yeah so this one time-” 

Sabo let himself get lost in the stories. 

The entire day felt surreal. Like he finally had everything he never knew he wanted. He felt whole. Complete. 

“You still with us?” Ace asked, nudging Sabo, Luffy sprawled out between the two of them looking like a lazy cat. The youngest still regaling his crew with stories of his past. 

“I am I just-” Sabo shook his head, trying not to succumb to his emotions, “I never thought I’d meet you in Alabasta.” 

“The ocean is a vast and mysterious place.” 

“Cheers to that.”

“Cheers to family,” The crew said, catching their attention. 

The older brothers blushed, but Luffy sprung up, arms wrapped around their shoulders. 

“Cheers to family, lost and found.” 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. I had a lot of fun writing this. I was rewatching parts of Alabasta for another story just for plot reference points and its funny how some details slip your mind. I never thought much of the comment from the rebels circe episode 93 or so when they mentioned the revolutionaries because they weren't some of the bigger players at the time.


End file.
